Pueblo, Colo. - Augustana College’s Cody Lensing (Sr., Mounds View, Minn. / Totino Grace HS) was named the recipient of the 2012 NCAA Wrestling Championship Elite 89 award as announced by NCAA officials. A senior biochemistry major, Lensing boasts a 3.96 GPA.

The Elite 89 award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site of each of the NCAA's 89 championships.

Lensing is an NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award Winner, an award bestowed to senior NSIC student-athletes who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher, are exhausting their eligibility and are on track to graduate.

Lensing entered the NCAA Wrestling Championship 20-5 and unranked. He won his way to the 125 pound championship match as he defeated three nationally ranked wrestlers on his way to the title match, including a pin of third-ranked Kenny Trumbetta (Seton Hill, Pa.) in the quarterfinals. Lensing lost to Kyle McCrite (Grand Canyon, Ariz.) 3-9 in the finals as he earned All-American honors for the first time.

Lensing becomes the fourth student-athlete from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference to win the award, joining Kendra Huettl (Minnesota State, Softball, 2011), Matt Braithwaite (Augustana College, Cross Country, 2010) and Lauren Brown (Winona State, Outdoor Track and Field, 2010).
For more information on the Elite 89 award winners, log on to NCAA.com/elite89.